The first glove man to be profiled in this series is Jason Hart, shortstop for former World Champions HardCor.

Jason’s pedigree:

Softball
-2009 West Coast Defensive Player of the Year
-2009 PS World Champs
-2009 WS Gold glove winner
-2008 PS.com All-Star
-Numerous all-tourney selections

Baseball
-2 time first team All-Empire league @ Loara HS
-Baseball scholarship to Westmont College in Santa Barbara
-1992 All "Big A" Team in Anaheim School District
-1992 All Orange County Team
-1992 Loara HS Team MVP


Q. Jason you seem to play rather shallow compared to other middle infielders. What is your reasoning behind this unique positioning?

A. I do play shallower than most infielders at my position. I see a lot of infielders playing back on the grass, thinking it gives them more range. However, I don't see it that way. Guys on our circuit hit the ball so hard that the deeper you play, the worse your angle is and the further a hard hit ball will be away from you (unless it's hit right at you of course). For example, if I'm playing shallow, a hard hit ball might be a step and a dive away from me. But if I'm 20 feet back, that same ball might be 3 steps and a dive away from me and I might not get there. It's hard to explain and I know how ridiculous this sounds, but think of it like this:
If your 3B, SS, 5man, 2B, and 1B were all playing five feet from home plate, there would not be very much room in between them. But the further they move back, the bigger the gap is between each fielder. I'm not promoting anyone to play five feet from home plate, it's just an example of how angles work. Playing deep gives you more time to react to a seed hit right at you, but that isn't usually the case. Besides the angles.....I've seen too many players field groundballs on the grass, but can't throw the runner out because he has more time to get down the line and the throw is now significantly longer.

Q. You seem very focused on defense, what’s going on in your mind?

A. I anticipate every pitch will be hit at me. That's what I want and that's why I play shortstop. I'm fortunate to play behind one of the best pitchers in police softball, who does a good job making opposing hitters hit the ball into our defense. As the ball leaves Tolly's hand, I can cheat (or lean) where the ball is likely to be hit, according to its trajectory. It doesn't always work out because it is still slow pitch softball and a good hitter will adjust his feet, but the majority of the time I'm moving to where the ball is going to be hit before the batter even decides to swing.

Q. As little as 5 years ago, most teams in the West played a standard 4 man infield. Now the 5 man infield seems to be the most current trend. What are your thoughts on this?

A. When 5man first became popular, I wasn't a big fan of it. Probably because it was outside of my comfort zone and I felt a bit crowded. But we play 5man the majority of the time now and I think it's a great defense. To my right I have the luxury of having Chris Enrique, who is the reigning defensive player of the year. To my left I have Jake Martinez, who is a 5man specialist and one of the best defensive players in the game. At 2B, we have Paul Blandford, who played pro ball and was the 2009 WS MVP. Paul might be the best overall fielder we have because he could be moved to the outfield as well and be one of the best outfielders in the game. My point is this, it’s easy for me to play defense when the players around me are the best in the game. I feel no pressure because I know that if I can't make the play, somebody else will.

Q. When did defense become such a big emphasis on your overall game and what techniques did you use to hone your skills?

A. I've loved defense my whole life. I used to throw rubber super balls against the garage and field them in the driveway to get used to having crazy hops. I had friends hit ground balls to me in the street so I could get used to fielding balls that got to me quickly. But the majority of my groundball practice took place without the use of a glove. This forced me to develop soft hands and not rely on the web of my glove.

Q. How important do you feel defense is to the game of slow pitch softball?

A. I realize slow-pitch softball is an offensive oriented game. But I have seen several offensive monsters who should win every tourney, but don't because they play poor defense as a team. I expect my teammates and myself to make every routine play. But I believe that if I can take away 3-4 hits away from my opposition each game, that is 3-4 runners that won't reach base and score. So in reality, isn't taking 3-4 runs away from the other team, just as good a driving in 3-4 runs for your own team at the plate?